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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. cell — in biology
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. race — a contest
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. ground — the earth
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. cell — a phone
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. race — the arms race
  15. chip — to eat
  16. ground — crushed
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. race — humankind
  23. ground — a position
  24. chip — for betting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com